April - June / 07

		The Art of Glass To celebrate the promised gift of the private collection of Dena and Ralph Lowenbach, the Newark Museum presents an exhibition that traces the development of 20th century studio glass and illustrates the enormous breadth of work in the field today. “The Art of Glass: From Galle to Chihuly - Highlights from the Lowenbach Collection” is at the Newark Museum through August 5th. Visit www.newarkmuseum.org
		Please Touch Sculpture In a reversal from the usual “don’t touch” rules at art museums, the Sculptors’ Association of New Jersey has put together an exhibition with special appeal to visually impaired visitors: a show called “Please Touch Sculpture”, which will include audio-described guides and braille labels. At the Monmouth Museum in Lincroft, through August 19th. Visit www.monmouthmuseum.org
		Why Marry? “Why Marry?” was the first play to ever win the Pulitzer Prize. Written by Jesse Lynch Williams in 1917, the ensemble comedy explores marriage vs. living together, through the lives of three sisters at a time when more women were attending universities, entering the workforce, and struggling to obtain the vote. Runs June 20 - July 14th at the East Lynne Theater in Cape May. Visit www.eastlynnetheater.org
		The Mighty Humble Blueberry Among the offerings at this year’s New Jersey International Film Festival is Rutherford resident Nancy O' Mallon’s documentary “The Mighty Humble Blueberry”, which tells the story of the virtually unknown farm woman who dedicated her life to bringing the fruit into cultivation. The New Jersey International Film Festival features new foreign films, American independent features, experimental and short subjects, classic revivals, and cutting-edge documentaries. The Festival runs from June 1 through August 23. Visit www.njfilmfest.com
		Eccentric Bodies “Eccentric Bodies” features the work of seven women artists who are creating a new "gaze" directed towards the female nude, by examining the evidence of life's imprint on the site of women's bodies. The artists themselves represent a range of geography, age, and medium, but all are firmly in the Feminist tradition, and are concerned with issues such as the age, race, and cultural identity. On view at The Mason Gross School of the Arts Galleries in New Brunswick, NJ, through August 3. Visit www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/exhibits/dana_womens.shtml Photo: "Zurich Invitation" by Ernestine Ruben
		Atlantic Brass Band The 35-piece Atlantic Brass Band observes Memorial Day Weekend with rousing salute to American music at the Cape May Music Festival. Presented by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC), under the baton of Salvatore Scarpa, this authentic British-style brass band will perform a patriotic concert in Cape May Convention Hall at 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 27. Visit www.capemaymac.org
		Henry V David Conrad stars in the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey’s production of “Henry V”, the Bard’s epic history play and brilliant portrait of a great leader. Directed by Bonnie Monte, at the Kirby Shakespeare Theatre in Madison, through May 27. Visit www.njshakespeare.org
		Carolyn Dorfman “He Walks on the Wings of the Wind” is a new work choreographed by Carolyn Dorfman that celebrates the life and work of Philadelphia visual artist, Sam Matin, who died in 2004. Commissioned by Access to Art in Cape May, the four-part dance piece uses movement and music to conjure the artist’s personality, humanitarian philosophy, and passion for his art. May 19th at the Cape May Performing Arts Center. Visit www.accesstoart.org and www.carolyndorfmandanceco.org
		Chopin and Candlelight Pianist Lincoln Mayorga and actress Nancy Rothman join forces to present “Chopin and Candlelight,” an evening of solo piano music illuminated by letters and diary entries by Chopin and his lover, the Parisian writer George Sand, with whom he had a stormy 12 year affair. Their tumultuous vacation on the island of Majorca during the winter of 1838-39 resulted in some of Chopin’s most arresting music. Presented by the Raritan River Music Festival on Saturday, May 19 at 7:30 PM at Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church in Bloomsbury, NJ. Visit www.raritanrivermusic.org
		Mrs. Packard “Mrs. Packard” is Emily Mann’s new play based on the true story of a minister’s wife who, in 1861, is committed to a lunatic asylum by her husband, the strictly fundamentalist Reverend Theophilus Packard, for the supposed insanity of disagreeing with him over religion and the raising of their six children. But once incarcerated, Mrs. Packard meets a charming foe, the asylum's medical superintendent Dr. McFarland, and their inevitable clash proves both surprising and devastating for them both. Runs May 4 - June 10 at the McCarter Theater in Princeton. Visit www.mccarter.org
		Love and Murder Playwright Arthur Giron slyly examines the topic of illegal immigration – among other issues – in his serio-comic murder mystery “Love and Murder”, having its world premiere at NJ Rep in Long Branch. Class, ethnicity, and passion collide when two men vie for the same women in an upstate New York border town. Runs April 12 - May 6th. Visit www.njrep.org
		Falsettos “Falsettos” is William Finn’s Tony Award winning musical about a lovably dysfunctional Jewish-American family consisting of the patriarch Marvin, his ex-wife Trina and their 12 ½ year old son Jason — as well as Trina’s new husband Mendel (Marvin’s former shrink), Marvin’s gay lover Whizzer and the lesbians from next door. At the George Street Playhouse April 10 - May 6th. Visit www.georgestplayhouse.org
		The Dixie Hummingbirds The Dixie Hummingbirds — a legendary gospel group founded 78 years ago – has influenced generations of sacred and secular musicians. The keeper of the flame – who’s been with the group 68 years – is Ira Tucker, who leads the Hummingbirds in a performance, with the Harlem Gospel Choir, at the Community Theater in Morristown on April 14th. Visit www.communitytheatrenj.org
		Discover Gershwin Even a familiar piece of music contains new discoveries. That’s the premise of The Discovery Orchestra, conducted by Artistic Director George Marriner Maull, which will re-discover Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” at its Gala at NJPAC April 12th. Visit www.discoveryorchestra.org